Perfect
by Strawberry Shortcake123
Summary: The time machine is fixed, and Phil is going home. He promises Keely one thing, though. He'll be back. Will he keep that promise?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I have a bad habit of starting a story when I'm in the middle of another. I was planning to fix that in this new year, but…whatever. Don't worry, I haven't abandoned Independence.**

Phil Diffy sat on his back porch, wringing his hands. It was a perfect spring day. The sky was clear and blue, with no clouds, and a few birds chirped in the trees. Phil, however, wasn't in a good mood.

"Hey, Philly-Willy!"

Phil looked up to see his best friend, Keely Teslow, running across the green yard towards him, blonde hair flying back and flashing in the sun. She plopped down beside him and rested her chin in her hands. "What did you need to tell me?"

"Um…well, Keel…this isn't easy." Phil sighed. "But…we….the- "

"You're leaving, aren't you?" Keely interrupted. Phil nodded, looking down at the ground.

"It's not fair", whispered Keely. "It's not."

"I know," Phil told her. Then, more to himself, "I know."

Keely suddenly threw herself at Phil. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a huge hug. Phil returned it. They just sat there, hugging and silently crying into each other's shoulders.

After what seemed like forever, Phil pulled back just enough to see Keely's face. "I'll come back, Keely. I promise."

"Yay," grinned Keely. Phil chuckled.

"We're leaving first thing tomorrow morning. But tonight will be the best night ever," Phil told her. "What do you want to do?"

"Can we go to the park and have a picnic again? And then just stay and swing and play? Like we always do?"

"Of course. C'mon, let's go get some food and stuff." Phil stood and offered her his hand. Keely took it and he helped her up and led her into the house.

"Hey, Phil! Excited for tomorrow?" asked Phil's dad when they entered the kitchen.

"Not really," said Phil coldly.

Lloyd sighed and returned to his sandwich. Phil felt tears spring to his eyes and he started taking food out of the cabinets. Keely did, too. They glanced at each other and saw the similarity.

An hour later, Phil and Keely had finished their little picnic. They were now on the swings. Well, Keely was. Phil was behind her, pushing his hands against her back and watching as she flew up into the air.

Finally, Keely put down her feet and dragged them threw the mulch. She just sat there, staring at the horizon where the sun was setting.

"We've watched a lot of sunsets together," she whispered without really thinking. "But this one is prettier than all the others."

Phil came up behind her. With one hand, he gripped her shoulder. The other one held her hand.

And so the both of them just stood there, staring at the setting sun.

"Please don't leave," Keely blurted out suddenly.

"Oh, Keely." Phil let go of her and sat down on the swing next to her. "I have to. If I was two years older…gosh, two years…I'd be an adult and I wouldn't have to. But…"

"How long do I have to wait before you come back?" Keely asked.

"I don't know."

A solitaire tear escaped Keely's eye and rolled down her pale cheek.

"But, Keel…maybe this is just fate. Maybe we're not supposed to be friends. And as much as we want to…we can't. It may be going against fate."

Keely started sobbing. Tear after tear rolled down her face. She was crying so hard that she had to sniffle and gasp for breathe. Phil just sat there. He felt like doing the same, but knew he had to be strong.

For himself.

And for Keely.

Phil reached over and wrapped his arms around Keely. She leaned into him and buried her head in his shoulder, making his sleeve wet with tears. He didn't mind, though. Before he knew it, he couldn't hold it in any longer. With a kick of the mulch, he laid his head on top of Keely's and cried into her hair.

**A/N: Stupid place to end. Oh well. Cookies to reviewers!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! Somebody said that the story needs to make more sense. I don't really see how it's confusing, but I'll try to make it real clear. Oh, and by the way, I've been listening to the song I Could Get Used to This practically all day. So the part where Phil writes Keely's name on his hand-- that's from the song. **

Bright and early the next morning, Barb and Lloyd got out of bed and started moving things into the time machine. Upstairs, their daughter, Pim, was pacing excitedly. Their son lay awake in his bed, covers pulled up to his chin, staring at the ceiling.

I'll never see her again, he thought. But she's the only person I ever have- ever will- truly love. Why does this have to happen to me? That was a lie, what I said yesterday. It was meant to be. I can feel it. Why do I have to be from the future? Why?

These words echoed through Phil's head, which was empty except for his thoughts of Keely. His vision was blurred as a new batch of tears came to his eyes.

For the next half hour, he just lay in bed with the sheets pulled up over his head. Memories of Keely flashed through his head. Happy times, which neither of them would ever experience again.

The picnic they had for her birthday-- Unification Day-- the Star of the Future contest-- being dragged out of the morning unusually early to make news broadcasts-- passing Messerschmitt's impossible test-- the list went on and on.

"Phil! Get up! We're leaving!" Pim yelled, pushing open Phil's bedroom door.

Slowly, Phil sat up. Pim wasn't the only one standing in the doorway. His parents were, too. And-- Keely.

Phil would never have expected for Keely, of all people, to show up at his house the morning he would leave her forever. In an instant, he had bounded out of his bed and run to her.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered gently.

"I…I had to…say goodbye…," Keely choked out. Phil pulled her into his arms and they shared an incredibly emotional hug.

When Lloyd saw this, he glanced down at his own wife. Barb was the person we loved more than anybody else in the world. Maybe this was what Phil and Keely felt like about each other. What if he lost Barb? Lloyd shuddered at the thought. No, he told himself. They're just kids. They aren't in love.

After Phil and Keely had pulled themselves out of their hug, Phil reached over and grabbed a pen from his bedside table. On his left hand, he wrote in huge letters, "Keely".

Keely grinned and laughed a little when she saw it. "Thanks, Phil. I'll...I'll go now. I just...wanted to say good bye one last time."

"Ok. Bye." Phil smiled at her one more time before she walked out the door.

"Alright! Let's go!" Lloyd exclaimed excitedly.

One by one, the family started to go outside. Phil didn't budge. When everybody had walked downstairs, he paced his bedroom. As he passed each picture of him and Keely, he picked it up.

Ten minutes later, Lloyd yelled upstairs, "Phil! C'mon! We're waiting on you!"

Phil held tight to his photos as he slowly walked downstairs. The only one standing there was Lloyd.

"C'mon, boy! Aren't you excited? We'll be able to see all our old friends."

"Yeah. Can't wait," Phil muttered.

As he followed his dad outside to the time machine, Phil looked around his backyard. He had done so much with Keely out here...

Stop it, he told himself. Stop. You'll never see her again. Get over it.

And yet, he knew he couldn't get over her.

As he sat there in the time machine, Phil knew he life would never be the same. Not the same as it would have been before he met Keely...or when he lived in the same year as she did.

**A/N: Ah...I'm making myself cry. Ok, sorry this took so long...I've been busy. Review, please!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! I really appreciate the feedback! Enjoy chapter three!**

Twenty minutes later, Phil was back in 2121. Back where he started. With no Keely. And there never would be Keely.

The rest of the family began unpacking excitedly. Phil rushed up to his old room and slammed the door behind him. With the Wzrd, he made the door soundproof. Then, losing control, he threw himself on his bed and cried loud, echoing sobs.

In 2006...

Keely quietly shut her bedroom door behind her. With a deep sigh, she sat down on her bed and picked up her photo album of her and Phil. As she flipped through page after page of happy days, tear after tear slid down her pale cheeks.

I can't believe he's gone, she thought. Why did he have to be from the future? Why do I have to be from here? Why...why...

Keely lie down on her stomach. She rested her chin in one hand and looked through the scrapbook, wishing with all her heart and soul that instead of glancing through every good thing which would never happen again that she was adding more, with Phil next to her, his arm in its normal position around her shoulders.

Barb knocked on her son's bedroom door. "Phil, honey? Dinner's ready."

Silence.

Barb sighed and pulled the Wzrd from her pocket. The door was probably soundproofed.

The minute she pushed the un-sound-proof button, Barb heard sobbing and gasping for breath. It was Phil. And he was crying for Keely.

Barb slowly opened the door. "Phil? C'mon, you need to eat."

"I'm not hungry," came Phil's muffled reply.

"Sure you are. You didn't even eat breakfast." She sat down on Phil's bedside. "I know you miss Keely, honey. But sometimes we just have to get over things."

"I don't want to! I can't! She's not just some girl, Mom. She means so much to me. I always wondered what I'd do without her, and I didn't need to know...and now that I do...I don't."

Barb had never seen her son this upset. She pulled him into a hug.

"I...I...I loved her, Mom," Phil choked out. "I never told her...I was afraid of...what...what could happen to...to...our...friendship..."

"I know, honey...I know..." Barb sighed.

"Keely? Keely, unlock this door!" Mandy Teslow stood outside her daughter's door, tapping her foot impatiently.

"No."

"Keely Alyson Teslow, open the door this instant!" Mandy lifted her fist and pounded on the door.

"Fine."

Keely shuffled over to the door and opened it a tad. "Yeah?"

"I could hear you crying all the way downstairs. What's wrong?"

Keely took a deep, shuddering breath. "It's Phil. We...moved...and he's never coming back."

"Oh! Well, you can write him and call him, can't you?"

Keely paused for a second. "It's not that simple, Mom."

And she shut the door.

**A/N: Kind of shot...oh well...next chapter will be better...**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks for all the great reviews I'm getting! They really mean a lot to me!**

Phil had won his fight.

He remained on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. One word echoed through his mind. Well, actually, a few.

_Keely...past...future...Keely...gone...disappeared...Keely..._

Accompanied by these thoughts, Phil fell into an uneasy sleep.

Phil awoke abruptly from a horrible nightmare. Turning on his side and breathing deeply, he saw the dream replay in his head.

_"Phil!"_

_Phil ran towards Keely. With every step he took, she seemed further and further away. One hand clutched the edge of a cliff. If she let go, she would fall to her doom in a fast moving river._

_"Don't let go, Keely! Don't!"_

_"I...can't hold on anymore, Phil. I love you," Keely whispered breathlessly. "Bye."_

_And she let go._

He had to get back to her. This may be a message. He just had to get back to the live of his life.

Phil quietly tiptoed out of bed and towards his closet. It had to be one in the morning, at least. He pulled on some 21st century clothes he'd saved and grabbed the Wzrd. Without a glance behind him, Phil grasped the door handle, turned it, and walked out into the hallway.

Keely awoke in the middle of the night. It took only a second for her to remember where Phil was. She let out a strangled, helpless cry.

"Please, Phil. Come back. Please, Phil. Please," Keely whispered quietly.

A draft blew in through the slightly open window. Keely shivered and stood up to close it. Her hands lingered on the window a little longer than she intended. She gazed outside at the empty street, where she had spent so much time with Phil. Keely and Phil had been here, too, at this very window...about this time of night...standing together and watching the stillness of the world outside.

As Keely remembered one evening in particular, she almost started crying.

_"Keely! Keely!"_

_"Phil, it's, like, two in the morning," Keely groaned, clutching a pillow over her face._

_"But it's so cool!"_

_"Fine."_

_Keely let Phil drag her out of bed by the hand and lead her over to the window. They stood shoulder to shoulder as Phil pointed to the sky._

_"Phil, it's pitch black," Keely yawned._

_"That's what's so great about it. It's unique and special, since there's almost always stars around." Phil suprised Keely by placing his arm protectivly around her shoulders. "I wanted to show someone just as aspecial as that how special they really are...wait, did that make sense?"_

_Keely just grinned._

Phil had just opened the time machine's door when a voice stoppe dhim in his tracks.

"Phillip Diffy! What are you doing?"

Phil turned around slowly to see his mother, hands on hips, standing in the doorway of that back porch.

"Oh. Hey, Mom. I was just...um..."

"Go to bed. Now," Barb demanded.

Phil sighed, defeated. "Alright."

Barb watched her sad son walk back inside the house with his head down. She slammed the time machine's door shut and strode inside.

**A/N: Sorry if I made you excited that Phil was going back for Keely and then crushed your hopes. This chapter was pretty bad but the next one will be better!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Ok…here's the next chapter…I hope it turns out good like I planned…**

On Monday morning, Keely threw on the first thing she saw in her closet, stuffed all her homework in her backpack, done or not, and started off for school without any breakfast.

As she walked the lonely streets, Keely tried to remember what it had been like when Phil hadn't walked with her every day and couldn't. She wasn't used to this.

What wouldn't I give to have him back? she thought.

"Hey, Keely!"

Keely turned around to see Via rushing up to her. "Hey, Vee."

"Where's Phil? Is he sick?" asked Via.

Keely felt a lump in her throat. "No...um...he moved."

"Oh, Keely, I'm so sorry!"

"Thanks, Via. I don't really feel like talking now."

"I understand. See you around." Via patted Keely's shoulder and left her standing on the street corner, gazing at her old sneakers.

"Lloyd, I really think we should go back for Phil's sake," Barb told her husband one morning in their bedroom.

"He'll get over it," Lloyd said as he turned on the television, which hadn't changed much.

"Honey, I caught him sneaking into the time machine. I'm really worried."

Lloyd sighed. "Alright. I guess I kind of miss it, too."

Barb hugged her husband quickly and then walked to the door. "Phil! Pim! We have to tell you something!"

Keely found a replacement to do the morning announcements for her. She sat in homeroom, doodling in her notebook.

_Phil Diffy, _she wrote. _Come back. _

Later, Keely sat in 4th period science. Mr. Hackett's words seemed far away even though she sat in the second row. She had her chin cupped in her hand as she thought about...you guessed it...Phil.

And then, something happened. Keely had never thought it would, but it did.

A voice interuppted Hackett's.

"Mr. Hackett? Sorry to interuppt, but do you have my old desk? My family didn't like it where we moved in North Carolina."

**A/N: This was a crummy chapter. That is why I don't make promises. Haha. I think it's pretty obvious who it is, but I'm not going to give it away in case somebody doesn't know! The more reviews I get, the faster I update!**


	6. Chapter 6

-1**A/N: I have this last chapter in my notebook, but it's upstairs. I'm too lazy to go get it, so I'll try and type it from memory. **

"Phil!" Keely jumped up, and her chair clattered to the floor. She ran over to Phil and gripped him in hug. Phil happily returned it. Via and Owen ran up just as Phil and Keely pulled back, grinning.

"Phil! We missed you so much!" Via exclaimed.

"Hey, dude, fish sticks for lunch! New recipe!" Owen clapped Phil on the back heartily.

"Awesome!" Phil said with a lot more enthusiasum than he felt for the fish.

"Alright, I hate to interrupt our little reunion, but please take your seats," Mr. Hackett cut in.

Keely, Owen, and Via sat back down. Phil walked back to his old desk behind Keely.

"Welcome back, future boy," she whispered so that only Phil could hear her.

At lunch, while Owen happily munched away on his fish sticks, Via, Phjil, and Keely talked.

"So, Phil, why did you moved back?" Via asked.

"Well…" Phil shifted uncomfortably. "We just didn't like it over there."

"What-"

"Vee, can I have your fish?" asked Owen through a mouthful.

"Yeah, sure," said Via, pushing it towards him.

"Hey, guys…can I talk to Keely alone?"

Via beamed as she got up. "Sure. Come on, Owen."

After the other two walked off, Phil turned to Keely. "We're staying forever, Keel."

"Really? That's awe-"

Keely was cut off by Phil's lips on hers.

**A/N: I don't believe I have ever written kissing scenes and I don't want to right now. This story is done. It's my first non-one-shot that I have finished! Yes!**


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